Hi, I am new to this message board. My son is 31/2 now and was recently diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. His is in ABA therapy now which we call school for him. He is doing fantastic. He is going to be starting speech therapy soon and I found a daycare that helps kids with Autism.

So, feeling that we had a good grasp on the situation my son has in the past 6 months started a pattern of not wanting to go to his bed to sleep.
If he is asleep when he goes up he wakes up at around 2 o'clock in the morning and won't stay in bed. I end up sleeping with him on the sofa. Now if he is asleep on the sofa he won't even let us take him up to bed. He cries and fights us from doing it.

I am reading that melatonin helps. Anyone out there tried this? If it works to get a more structured sleep for my son I am going to ask his padeatrician about it.

sounds like he got accustomed to the sofa due to aspergers having their daily routines. Cause you breaking his routine hes getting stressed and starts to cry and with that said he wouldnt sleep anywhere else besides on the sofa.

Melatonin helps with sleep patterns and vitamins are also good.

What time you normally put him to bed? Also try get him to his bed before he falls asleep on the sofa so it enforces that he must sleep in his bed probably take few nights for him to get accustomed to his bed.

I take melatonin every day so I can sleep. I was never a good sleeper, even when I was a baby. Sadly, I didn't try the melatonin until I was in my mid-20s.

Definitely talk to your doctor about it. You will want to ask for a recommendation on dosage since he's so young. Be sure to by a brand that says "vegetarian" or "synthetic." There are some melatonin pills that are made from animal brains and there's a small risk of mad cow disease type illnesses. But if you stay with the synthetic pills there's no risk.

You might also ask your doc about getting a sleep study done. That can help identify any other sleep disturbances he might be having.

yes, we discussed melatonin with our dr. and began with 1 mg. when our son was young and eventually he took 3 mg. it was VERY VERY helpful in letting him have that "let down" reflex to be able to fall asleep. and his days were better because he was more rested.

Does it really matter where our kids sleep? I stopped fighting over being in bed, and just let our son sleep where he wants to. He goes to bed on schedual, sleeps through the night, and wakes easily the next morning now. Whats more important, being in a bed or being asleep?